Boston Brothers Indicted On Charges Related To False One Fund Claim

BOSTON A Boston man charged with making a fake $2.2 million claim to the main Boston Marathon bombing victims’ compensation fund has been indicted with his brother for allegedly conspiring in the scam.

Branden Mattier, 22, and Domunique Grice, 27, were indicted Thursday on charges of conspiracy to commit larceny, attempt to commit larceny and identity fraud, the state attorney general’s office said.

Mattier pleaded not guilty earlier in municipal court to attempted larceny and identity theft and is held on $20,000 bail. The brothers will be arraigned in Superior Court at an unscheduled date.

The brothers are accused of collaborating on a false claim to The One Fund for their long-dead aunt. The April 15 attacks killed three people and injured more than 260.

Mattier was arrested July 2 when he allegedly accepted a fake benefit check from an undercover state trooper posing as a deliveryman. Prosecutors said Thursday the brothers had scheduled a test drive of a new Mercedes-Benz for later that day.

The attorney general’s office said Mattier and Grice attended a May public meeting held by The One Fund for potential claimants, and also went to a private ceremony and dinner for victims and their families marking the closing of the temporary Copley Square street memorial.

His lawyer has said Mattier intends to fight the case. A police report said Mattier told state police he intended to use the money to help people. It’s not immediately known who’s representing Grice.

In a separate case, Audrea Gause, 26, of Troy, N.Y., has pleaded not guilty to making a false One Fund claim for almost half a million dollars.